Choices
by KatieTaylor
Summary: Mick makes some hard choices to keep Beth safe. But did he really make those choices for her safety, or is he running from happiness? Lots of hot fluff
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

Beth woke to darkness. And a pounding headache. And something thick and crusted down one side of her face and in her eye. It felt like she was lying on the floor, in the corner of a room. Although she was able to rationally think all of these things, she felt like she was swimming; muck like her post B.C. hangover, only not nearly as pleasant. She was obviously in trouble, but at the moment her brain wasn't functioning enough to try and figure it out. She decided the best course of action was to feign sleep.

"Beth." Her heart almost stopped as she heard the sweet, sing-song voice that had haunted her nightmares for 22 years. "You can stop pretending. I know you're awake. I can hear the change in your heartbeat." Damn vampires, Beth thought as she ever so slowly turned in the direction of the voice. She was able to open one eye – the other caked with blood. The room spun for a moment before finally settling on Coraline sitting on a bed, looking at her with mock concern.

"I'm so happy you're okay. I was starting to worry. Our dear Mick wouldn't be very pleased with me if something really bad happened to you."

A table lamp in the far corner shed soft light through the soft room. But for the pain in her head, she could have sworn she was having that horrible nightmare. The dingy room, sorely in need of renovation; sparse furniture; Coraline, now standing over her, in a white dress – modern yet so similar to the one she wore 22 years ago; and Beth huddled in the corner.

"What do you want with me this time, bitch?" It sounded jumbled to her foggy brain, but it must have come out right because Coraline let out a quit laugh and answered her.

"Beth, I don't want anything do with you now, any more than I did all those years ago. I want the same thing I did then – Mick. You're just a means to an end." She cocked her head to one side, smiling. "He's coming right now." A moment later she was proven right. He crashed through the door, eyes immediately on Coraline, never straying. Ignoring Beth altogether.

"I'm not going to let you hurt her."

"Oh Mick, you know that's not why I took her. She's just bait. I wanted to make sure you'd show." She smiled as he stalked toward her. "However, if you decide to toast our reunion, I'm sure she'd be a wonderful treat. But then, you already know that, don't you?"

"You could have just asked me to come here. You know I would have."

Suddenly she was all fangs and launched herself at Mick. The fight, just like everything else, so mirrored that night that Beth had a hard time deciding if she was dreaming or not. Slashes, bites, crashing through doorways, broken furniture. But then something happened that turned it so much worse than any of her nightmares.

Coraline had him pinned against a door frame and attacked his mouth with hers. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, slamming her into the frame hard enough that Beth could hear the crack of bones and wood from across the room. When Mick returned Coraline's kiss with equal ferocity, her world shattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mick didn't look back as he heard the taxi pull away. He was quite proud of himself for that actually, because he really just wanted to catch up to Beth and fly back with her. What was the point of staying behind if she wasn't there with him? Sitting next to her on the plane for those few hours – even if she were going home to Josh – would have been bliss. She would have been his, if only for a short time.

But he had seen in her eyes and heard in her voice the guilt she felt at turning him down. He knew that had he changed his plans and returned with her those feelings would have been even stronger so he stayed behind. He walked quickly away from the taxi before he could change his mind and kept walking until the sound of the cab faded into the New York night. He pulled out his phone and quickly made arrangements for a later flight, then let his mind wander as he moved through the streets. Beth, open cases, Coraline… not focusing on anything in particular until that last conversation with Josef entered his thoughts.

"All these years, Josef, you ranting about how it could never work between us and humans."

"Well, what happened to Sara is proof that I'm right."

"Josef Kostan in love? That's proof that anything is possible!"

"Well, love can show you a part of yourself you never knew existed."

"Or a part you thought you'd lost forever."

"And then this happened. I guess the universe had a different plan for me. I guess who I am is who I'm supposed to be.

"You gonna try and make the thing with Beth work? … Well, I hope the universe is on your side.

Just a short conversation, but one that was so crucially important and still so full of questions. Could it be that vampires like he and Josef could find happiness? Did they deserve to find love? Was the tragedy that happened to Sara the payment demanded for that happiness?

The good mood he had been in when he'd left Josef's with Beth was quickly disappearing. Perhaps it was best that she had gone – it gave him a chance to think about what they had almost done. Yes, it was just a date, but up until now, they had been mostly about work – his cases or her stories. Would he have been able to let her go back to Josh after having her to himself for the night? She already filled his thoughts. Would spending the night with her – even if it was just out on the town – have sparked his obsessive personality? Turned her into another Coraline – breaking into her house, threatening her boyfriend? At least he knew that Coraline was into it – she wanted that side of him and knew just what buttons to push to bring it out. But Beth was most certainly NOT Coraline and he was a vampire now. Primal, predatory vampire instincts mixed with an obsession couldn't possibly end well when dealing with a human.

Mick looked up to see that he had almost arrived back at Josef's building. Completing the circuit, he wearily pulled himself up the stairs and rang the bell. Paula let him in and he sat in the parlour waiting for Josef, not wanting to disturb him.

He held his head in his hands and tried to decide what the right thing to do was. He knew Beth would say that she should have a say in the matter, but was it right to tell her how he felt when she had the opportunity for a normal life? Was all of her flirting a sign that she wasn't interested in that normal life, or just courting the 'excitement' of being in a dangerous situation, romanticizing vampires like an Anne Rice novel? He let out a sigh and leaned back in the couch, closing his eyes.

All Mick knew for sure was that it took two to tango and right now he was the one on the dance floor with Beth taking her turn at hiding in the shadows. He'd give her a few days after he got back to LA and then he'd see what the universe had in store for them.

"Mick, what are you doing here? I thought you and Beth left already." Mick opened to eyes to find Josef lowering himself into a chair across from him.

"Beth went back. I decided to hold off a bit, so I got a later flight. I thought I'd come by and see if you needed anything first."

"You let her go?"

"Well, I think she was a little…" he searched for the right word. "freaked? I suspect she wanted to get back to something normal." Josef nodded. They sat in silence for a long time. Josef's thoughts, no doubt, were centred on Sara. Mick didn't particularly want to think about anything right now. Unfortunately, his brain wouldn't listen. Flashes in his mind of all the possible futures he could have with Beth. The resignation of watching her live out her days with Josh. The joy of spending the rest of her life with her, only to have to watch her die. But he knew Beth – he knew he would end up turning her if they got together. The thought sickened him and excited him – and scared the shit out of him. His thoughts shifted to Sara and he flicked his eyes to Josef.

"Josef, if you knew then what would happen – what would happen to Sara, would you have changed anything?" Josef looked down and was silent for so long that Mick didn't think he was going to answer. But then he brought his head up; unshed tears in his eyes, brow furrowed in an attempt to keep them in check.

"I'd never give up the time I spent with her. That was the happiest year of my life. In over 400 years, I think it was perhaps the only time I've ever been able to truly be happy, to be able to be completely open with someone. I could live another 400 years and never feel that way again. Since I became a vampire, I've only had two people that I could trust completely – that weren't interested in me for my money or power. One of them is lying in that bed.

"Would I turn her, knowing this would happen to her? I don't know, man. There's still a chance, you know, that she could wake up. Maybe we'll live happily ever, maybe she'll hate me…"

Mick rose and moved to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. Josef buried his head in his hands. He'd stayed strong for Sara all this time, and even for Beth today. Now, alone with the second person he could trust, he finally broke down. For the first time since that day so many years ago, he wept for the young life he had taken, for her stolen future, and their future together that Josef desperately clung to but didn't think would ever come.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mick had returned to LA three days ago. He still hadn't heard from Beth. He'd spent most of that time catching up on work and trying to track down Coraline, if a bit half-heartedly. She'd disappeared from the hospital while he'd been in New York and she'd left no trace. Mick poured himself some breakfast. He moved to his office and took a long drink, as he set the glass on his desk he flicked on the Buzzwire feed. He'd been so busy he hadn't had a chance to catch up on any newscasts. When the page loaded and he saw the headline, he realized what a mistake that had been.

SEARCH CONTINUES FOR STAR REPORTER

Mick didn't know how he managed to stay in his seat, but he was able to listen to all of Marissa's report before flying to his car and squealing out of the parking space toward Beth's apartment. According to the report, Josh had been the last person to see Beth and that had been the night she returned from New York. When she hadn't come into work the next morning, Maureen had called her cell phone, apartment and finally Josh. Then they called the police. There had been no leads.

After what felt like forever, but really was only about half the time it should have taken, Mick pulled onto her street and parked the car outside her building. He raced to her door and noticing no signs of forced entry, used his lock picks to get into her apartment. Shutting the door, he looked up and froze for a moment before slowly taking the lock pick case from between his teeth and replacing the tool he had used.

"Josh." The man in question spun around with a glare.

"Mick. She gave you a key?!"

"Uh, no, not exactly." Sheepishly, he held up the lock pick kit before returning it to his pocket and moved closer into the room.

"I just heard about Beth. I had to come see for myself. What happened?" Josh collapsed into the couch dejectedly and Mick sat in a chair across from him.

"Man, if I knew…" He paused for a moment to collect himself before beginning the story. "She called and asked me to pick her up at the airport. I guess you'd travelled together but for some reason she returned on her own. I picked her up and brought her back here. She was really quiet. When we got here, we fought and she said she didn't want to see me anymore. I left and the next thing I know, Buzzwire's calling wondering where she is." The fact that this was just a piece of information – a clue in the timeline of Beth's disappearance, not worthy of words, argument or fisticuffs was a testament to both mans' worry and need to find Beth…and quickly.

"I've had my best guys on this but they've found nothing!" Frustrated, Josh stood up and paced the room. "No signs of forced entry, no signs of a struggle, no prints that shouldn't be here. Nothing. She just – vanished!" He looked to Mick. "You have to find her. I don't know how you do what you do, but I know you'll find her." It wasn't a request and Josh knew that he needn't have even spoken the words, but he'd had to say it anyway. "And anything you need, resource wise I'll make sure you get it."

Mick looked around the apartment from his spot on the chair, then closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of the place. Of course her scent permeated every nook and cranny of the apartment. Memories assaulted him, nothing helpful of course – just the smell of her hair when he held her, her tears when she cried…he shook off those thoughts. There wasn't much to go on. Whatever had happened had taken place too long ago for any trace to still linger, if it had happened here at all. Discouraged, he opened his eyes to see Josh looking at him curiously.

"Nothing happened in here." He got up and took a closer look around. Her bag and laptop were gone. She must have been on her way to work. "Trouble happened after she left. Her car still here?"

"No, we haven't found it yet." Josh ran his hand through his hair. Mick walked over to other man, put his hand on his shoulder and tried to find some shred of hope to pass on, even if he wasn't feeling any himself.

"We'll find her, Josh." After a moment he was able to fully switch his mindset from blind panic to analytical detective. He straightened up and started formulating a plan of action. Leaving Josh alone in Beth's apartment, Mick headed out to see if he could get anything from the parking lot. Unfortunately, he did – a few drops of dried blood on the ground near her space and a hint of something eerily familiar, but he couldn't place. As he turned to go back to his car, Mick pulled out his phone and hit Josef's speed dial.

"Mick! Did you miss me?" Although it was obvious that Josef Konstantin was getting back into the role of Josef Kostan, Mick ignored the snark.

"Where are you?" Mick got in the Benz and peeled away from the curb in the direction of Josef's office building.

"Well, I missed you too. As a matter of fact, I'm somewhere over Idaho, I think. And very happy to be able to use my own jet instead of –"

"I need your guys."

"What?"

"I need your guys – your techies. All of them. I'm heading to your building now. You're going to call them and make sure they drop everything and do what I tell them."

"Mick, I don't – "

"Beth's missing." Josef was silent for a moment.

"I'll call them now. See you when I get in." Josef broke the connection and Mick stepped even harder on the gas.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mick threw open the doors to the tech room in Josef's office building. It was a large, windowless room with computers and other equipment lining three walls and a cluster of computer consoles in the center. Josef's personal command center was located along the empty wall across from the door. Numerous TV screens lined the upper walls and usually showed news feeds or stock quotes or whatever the job demanded. Right now the Buzzwire feed was playing on several of them. He ignored it.

Not bothering to check if they were paying attention to him, or even knew why they were there, Mick started barking orders as soon as the doors swung closed behind him. Anyone slacking off would be dealt with. If Josef has a problem with that, he'd be dealt with as well.

"I need phone records for her cell, home and work. All voice mail, email, web activity, credit cards, whatever you can get. If she bought coffee at the corner store I want to know about it. And we need to find her car. Start with any traffic cameras in the area and work your way out." As the orders were given, the appropriate people went to work.

The credit cards were the first things to come back – no help of course. The last charge was food at the airport while she waited for her flight back to LA. He slumped into Josef's chair. Sitting here doing nothing was going to kill him, he was certain. Just as he was thinking about driving around the city on the billion to one chance he'd magically come across her, three techies appeared at the desk with phone records.

"We're just downloading her voice mail now, sir." Mick nodded and waved them off. He started with her home phone. The only call in or out since she arrived back was a call to her mother. He would look further back in the records later if nothing else panned out.

He looked at her outgoing cell calls for the past week before she disappeared. Mick, Mick, Mick, Josh, Mick, Buzzwire, Mick, Mick, Josh…He smirked at the fact that the Micks outweighed the Joshs then turned to her incoming calls. They were much the same, although the Joshs greatly outnumbered the Micks. There was only one number that he didn't recognize and wasn't stored on her phone.

"Run this number." As the appropriate techie quickly followed the order, Mick was waved over to listen to her voice mails. Nothing of interest on her cell phone and he made note of anything he didn't recognize from her work mails. He had those messages saved to a memory stick. He'd be going to see Maureen later to go through all these and look through Beth's files. Perhaps someone from one of the stories she'd covered was getting payback for something. He compared her Buzzwire phone records and voice mail records and made a list of all the numbers that didn't match and he didn't recognize. Then he proceeded to call them all. Mick made a list of places like courier services and food establishments that he would check himself in person and another list of things to check on in her files. He did the same thing with her emails, reading each one carefully.

"Found her car, yet?" If the group of vampires working on that task had any colour, it would have drained from their faces. Mick stood and began pacing.

"Uh, not yet, sir. We're patching into cameras as fast as we can, but it's going to take some – "

"We don't have time!" Mick threw the closest thing to him and silence followed the sound of smashing of porcelain against the wall behind the desk.

"That, my friend, was Ming Dynasty." The relief in the room was palpable as Josef flamboyantly moved into the office. Mick scowled at the freshies on each arm. "Do you know how long I've had that for?!" His scowl turned to a smirk. "About a year – but that's not the point, you're scaring the poor techies!" Mick's shoulders sagged as he walked back to take his seat in Josef's chair. As Josef moved to the front of the desk, he plucked a print out from the hand of the techie who had been tracking the phone number.

"Drink to calm the nerves?" Josef held out the arm of one of the girls, let out a mock sigh of exasperation at Mick's glare. "Maybe next time." He looked down at the paper in his hands, then the women at his side.

"Ladies, I think you'd best step outside for a while. I'll come find you later." In perfect unison they pouted and each kissed his cheek and sauntered out of the room. Josef looked back at the paper.

"Phone number traced to the Hardwick Hotel, room 1013. Fake name, fake address, fake, fake, fake… REAL flagged credit card belonging to one very staked, very missing Morgan Vincent, a.k.a. Coraline St. John." Mick stood up with a snarl and flashing eyes so quickly that Josef's chair went flying.

"I should have known! How could I have been so stupid?" He was out of the room so quickly the techies hardly had time to flinch at his outburst. Josef's eyes flicked to the two silent men standing in the shadows.

"Follow him. I want to know where he's going and what he's doing." Brief sign of acknowledgement and they were out the door. "And bring my lunch back in here!"

XXX

It had been about 25 years since Mick had last been inside Coraline's house. Although he had given in and come to her a few times between then and rescuing Beth, the two had never actually made it into the house. Everything – from the landscaping outside to the fleur de lis coaster in exactly the same place on the parlour table, still stained from when he'd spilt coffee on it before they'd been married – was still in the same place as it had been a quarter century ago. A shrine to their 'life' together.

He wandered through the house, trying to find some clue as to where Coraline was keeping Beth, but so far he'd found nothing – which was so unlike Coraline. Then he reached the door to the wine cellar – the one area of the house, it appeared, that WAS different than he'd left it. Descending the spiral staircase he walked not into the dark, cabinet lined room he remembered, but the light, airy room of a little girl. Mick sank to the small bed. This was where Beth had been kept all those years ago. He took a deep breath – and Coraline had kept her here this time as well. He'd probably missed them by just an hour.

Beth had told him that she had found the room she'd been kept in as a child, but neglected to mention it had been left exactly the same. He shuddered at the thought of what she must have gone through while she'd been here alone as the memories assaulted her. He looked around the room and finally found the broken chair that she had taken her stake from. It was there that he found Coraline's breadcrumb.

On top of the remains of the chair was a yellowed piece of paper. Mick reached out and picked it up. It was their marriage licence. Pieces started falling into place and he dropped the paper to the floor. This was the second time Beth had been taken so that Coraline could try and win him back. He didn't know why she had waited 22 years but Mick was pretty sure it was because of his 'relationship' with Beth – whatever it was. He didn't think she'd wait another 22 years to try something again if he waltzed in there, rescued Beth and rode of into the sunset with her. He was, in fact, pretty damn sure they'd be looking over their should for the rest of… whatever – her life, eternity… His one driving force since she was four years old and been to ensure that she always felt safe. How selfish was it of him to take that from her just so he could be happy? She was human, she'd get over it, right? They'd also be able to avoid that whole turning issue if he broke things off before they even got started. Josh obviously loved her. He'd take her back. Had his life with Coraline really been so bad? Well, yes, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the ones you loved.

Mick stood with grim resolve. There were two choices – kill Coraline or give her what she wanted. He'd 'killed' her once and though he hated her and her 'murder' had been necessary – and wanted, it had torn him up inside. Watching out for Beth had been his only saving grace. His choice made, Mick left the house and walked to his car. Beth would be safe and that at least would make him happy. She would never forgive him for it, but that would be best – it meant she would move on easier.


	5. Chapter 5

Lots of f-bombs and the big fat Mick/Coraline bomb…twice

Lots of f-bombs and the big fat Mick/Coraline bomb…twice. Heh, don't say I didn't warn ya! Also, you may want to re-read the prologue as I decided not to repeat some of the stuff that was in there…

While it is possible to skip this part and not miss too much of the story, I promise you, you're missing out on some MickBeth insights, and some hot sex, or so I've been told.

Chapter 4

The hotel he and Coraline had spent their wedding night was now a ramshackle shell of a building. Fitting, he thought. As he made his way to the room where he'd died, he prepared himself to go through with his choice. It wouldn't be all had of course. He'd enjoy himself – he always had – he just hated himself at the same time. Hell, if Beth hadn't shown up when she did with the proof of Morgan/Coraline's identity, he'd have taken Coraline right there in the shower.

The time for reflection was over as he approached the right door. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the scene behind the door. Beth was there, off to the left. He could smell the blood, she was drugged, but knew she was OK – he heard her yell at Coraline. That's my girl, he thought, smiling. He shifted his attention to Coraline who seemed to be across the room from Beth. She was calm, cool, collected…Coraline. He heard her response and knew he'd made the right choice. She wanted nothing to do with Beth as long as she had Mick.

Now or never…and he crashed through the door. He stalked straight to Coraline, completely ignoring Beth, or so she must have thought. He didn't look at her, but his senses where attuned to her every movement. If he looked at her, he wasn't sure he'd be able to go through with his choice.

"I'm not going to let you hurt her." She beamed at him.

"Oh Mick, you know that's not why I took her. She's just bait. I wanted to make sure you'd show." Her smiled grew as he stalked toward her. "However, if you decide to toast our reunion, I'm sure she'd be a wonderful treat. But then, you already know that, don't you?"

The fight began much as he remembered it from all those years ago. By the time Coraline had his back pressed against the doorjamb, Mick could hear Beth's heart pound in her chest and smell her fear. He thought that she must be stuck in her nightmare and knew he had to do something to bring her back to the present so she could get herself out of here.

Mick grabbed Coraline and spun them both around, slamming her into the doorjamb so hard he could hear the wood and her bones cracking. She cried out, but it wasn't in pain and he claimed her mouth. They weren't kisses so much as hot, furious attacks over and over; lips, tongues and fangs fighting for dominance. Coraline shifted their position and Mick caught a glance at Beth huddled in the corner. He could see whatever drug she'd been given still hadn't fully worn off, but she was aware of her surroundings, and the look on her face as she watched them was one of such defeat that Mick had to close his eyes to it.

GO! he wanted to scream at her, instead he held Coraline's arms even tighter. If she'd been human, she'd have the most angry bruises in the morning. He deepened his kisses, but they were no less brutal. She brought her hands up to grab his and even through his shirt her nails drew blood. Then he heard the most wondrous sound – Beth was starting to move across the floor! Mick turned them around, lips still on hers until he pushed her, sending her to the opposite side of the next room with a snarl. As he stalked after her, he put all thoughts of Beth out of his mind. He was way past the point of no return with Coraline, had been since her lips first found his if he was going to be honest, but there was no way he was going to think about Beth while he fucked Coraline. And that's what this would be – primal, animalistic.

Mick was all vamp – eyes almost pure white, fangs fully extended, talons even out. He stopped inches from her and gave her a heated stare.

"Mick?"

With another snarl he tore her dress to shreds, tearing her flesh in the process. He licked a long line of blood from her chest before it healed. Sire blood in his mouth for the first time in over two decades and he was about ready to burst right then. He'd forgotten how intoxicating that could be. Growling low in his throat he kissed her, giving her a taste of her own borrowed blood as he reached down to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his jeans, releasing his straining erection. Coraline let out her own growl as he wrapped one large hand tightly around her throat and moved her to a table in the middle of the room, slamming her back down onto it. Standing before her, he entered her completely in one hard thrust.

Coraline came instantly. The primal mating, his fully clothed body against her bare skin and the knowledge that she'd made him lose control so quickly and completely that he hadn't had the presence of mind to even take off his coat before taking her – they all combined to excite her more than she could remember being in a LONG time, if ever. Snarling, Mick thrust hard and fast into her, pouring all his hatred and need for her into the act, and she met him thrust for thrust.

Although she could have been quite happy to stay like that forever, the table lasted only a few thrusts before giving way and sending them to the floor. He didn't skip a beat though, hand squeezing her throat harder with every slam of his body into hers. When he was close, he finally released her and instantly they were tearing at each other's throats with fangs, the claiming act and the blood throwing them both over the edge, causing them to bite down even harder, dragging their orgasms out. Finally they withdrew from each other. Mick stood, fastened his pants and walked silently into the other room.

Coraline smiled. This day had worked out much better than planned, although she hadn't counted on it taking him three days to notice Beth was even missing. She'd had to keep her drugged all that time and hoped it wouldn't have any lasting effects. She rose from the floor and followed Mick into the other room. He stood in the centre of the room, eyes closed, facing the corner that Beth had been laying in. She knew he was trying to determine if she'd made it out of the building alright.

She pressed herself against his back and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, she couldn't help but smirk against his neck at the almost inaudible moan he let out as she licked the almost healed wound there. They didn't even look like bite marks, but large angry gashes where she'd ripped his throat out. She knew her neck looked just as mangled.

"Well, Mick, you certainly couldn't have done that to a human. Unless your goal was to fuck her to death of course, but what a way to go." She grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled it off his shoulders. Stepping over the pile, she moved them to the bed – his deathbed – and pushed him down onto it. Straddling his legs, Coraline was pleasantly surprised when his hands found their way to her hips and lightly held her there.

"Mick…"

"Mmm."

"Do you love me?"

Holding Coraline in place, Mick sat up and his eyes – now back to hazel, locked with hers for a moment until he moved in and captured her lips. At that moment, she didn't know how she had waited 22 years to do this again. He pulled away from her and looked at her with that heated stare again that could always make her instantly wet no matter where they were.

"I'm obsessed with you." While his eyes stayed hazel, his fangs extended. Although she much preferred his ice blue eyes, the juxtaposition between human eyes and vamp fangs aroused her even more and she began to rock in his lap. He grabbed a fistful of hair, yanked her head back and scraped his fangs along her neck. Not as vicious as a few moments before, but enough to bring a steady stream of blood that he hungrily lapped up until the wounds closed. "I'm addicted to you." Aware of the effect he was having on her, he tightened his grip on her hips and pulled her closer to him, so she could feel exactly how she was effecting him. "Isn't that enough?"

"For now." Coraline captured his lips in a slow and passionate kiss. She reached down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, breaking their kiss. When the item had been tossed aside, he returned to her, making his way down her neck to her shoulder, leaving tiny bite marks in his wake that healed instantly. Coraline made herself busy working him free of his pants. She pushed him and he lifted his hips for her to remove his pants and laid back as she completed the task. Their movements had shifted them up the bed however and he was left leaning against the wall – not able to lay down, but not quite sitting up, either.

Then she was back, straddling him and lowering herself slowly onto him. Her pace was slow and she ran her hands over his chest. His eyes slipped shut as his hands roamed her body. For a brief moment, he imagined it was Beth above him, driving him crazy with her body, the noises she was making causing his whole body to shiver with want and he let out something between a moan and a growl.

"Mick…" His eyes flew open to see Coraline gazing down at him as she rocked sensuously against him. With a loud growl, his hands were back on her hips in a death grip and he increased their pace to a fever pitch. Why he bothered he wasn't sure. He should have just let her have her way. Did he really think it would make a difference if he said to Beth 'don't worry baby, I didn't make love to her, I just fucked her into next week. And I thought about you while I did it.'

He continued their frenzied pace and she looked down to find him watching her breasts bounce as she moved, so she brought her hands up to playing with them, letting out loud moans for his pleasure. When she was close, Coraline leaned over him, vamped out and bit into his neck. This time however, it was the kind that was all pleasure. The kind of bite he longed to claim Beth with. Right now it disgusted him; disgusted him even more when the sensations drew his orgasm. As he emptied into her, he dug his nails into her hips drawing small rivulets of blood, causing her to reach her own peak. After they both came down from their highs, she moved off him and lay by his side. She put her arm across his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling; the mother of all morning after regrets hitting him even before his breathing returned to normal.


	6. Chapter 6

For those who refused to read the MickCora chapter, here's a rundown:

For those who refused to read the MickCora chapter, here's a rundown:

The chapter started much like the prologue after the kiss. Once Mick heard Beth start to move out of the room he tried to put all thoughts of her out of his head while he and Coraline proceeded to have hot angry vampire sex. Twice. Let's just say that had Coraline still been human, she probably wouldn't have lived long enough for Round 2.

"Mick…"

"Mmm."

"Do you love me?"

"I'm obsessed with you. I'm addicted to you. Isn't that enough?"

"For now."

Coraline tried to make round two a little more loving. It worked for a few minutes because Mick started imagining Beth instead. Finally he broke out of the fantasy and steered it back to angry sex.

After: She put her arm across his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling; the mother of all morning after regrets hitting him even before his breathing returned to normal.

And now, what happened to Beth?

Chapter 5

The red Ferrari roared into the parking lot of the rundown hotel and Josef brought it to a screeching halt in front of the main entrance. He jumped out of the sports car without opening the door and made it just inside the door before the smell of her blood and the sound of her slow and steady heartbeat reached his senses. It took but a moment for him to find her – she'd almost made it out of the building. It looked like she'd passed out – or tripped and knocked herself out – just before reaching the last landing. With a jump he flew up the short flight of stairs, landing softly by her side. He knelt next to her and quickly scanned her body for injuries. A gash on her head – a couple of days old and already healing although it had never been cleaned or tended to, blood still caked on her face; she was drugged; she'd twisted her ankle and received a fresh cut, probably when she'd reached the landing.

"Beth…C'mon Buzzwire, wake up." He shook her gently and then, hearing the fight upstairs, starting to move in aid. As he took his hand away, he felt her move and turned back to her.

"Beth." She furrowed her brow and opened one eye. He tried to get rid of some of the blood over her other eye to no avail. She looked around wildly until she finally settled on him and her brow furrowed even more.

"Josef?" He attempted a smirk

"Yeah Buzzwire, Batman to the rescue." She struggled to sit up and he helped her lean against the wall. "You're gonna be fine, just take it easy. I'm gonna go save Mick's ass…again." Again he moved to leave, and again she stopped him – grabbing his arm with her hand, grip surprisingly strong. He turned back to her, confused.

"Don't…he doesn't…want help."

"But…" Then he caught the scent…it may have been a fight – he could smell the blood – but they were sure enjoying it. A low growl – the vamp couldn't have at least made sure Beth made it out of the building before going back to screw Coraline? With a look of utter disgust, he turned back to Beth. She had seen the moment Josef realized what had happened and when she saw the look on his face, she closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Josef…can you please just…take me home?"

He turned to send a glare and a snarl up the stairs then nodded to her. He helped her up and as soon as she was upright with his arm around her, she put her head on his shoulder and fell asleep – or passed out. Rolling his eyes he lifted her fully into his arms. "Humans, they're all lightweights."

XXX

Josef pulled into the parking space and cut the engine. He had taken her home, but not her home – he wanted answers, or at least have her patched up before sending her home alone. Kristin, his head freshie, met him at the door. He saw her looking him over for signs of a fight.

"Don't worry, Babe, didn't even get my hands dirty." He saw her look at Beth, cradled in his arms, as they moved quickly through the house. "She'll be fine. She needs some patching up and to sleep off a drug and she'll be good as new." Finally they made it to the spare room and Kristin watched as he carefully laid her on the bed. Although being employed by Josef was pretty much the safest place a freshie could be, accidents did happen and she immediately fell into the routine of checking for injuries.

"Don't." She looked at him curiously as he knelt by the bed and took a close survey of her body.

"What?"

"I'll do it myself. Just get me the kit and some hot water and a cloth." She looked down at the woman and then to Josef who had finished his 'exam' and was moving to carefully take off her shoes. Nodding once to herself, she quickly ran to get the requested items, setting them on the bedside table when she returned. He nodded in thanks and turned back to Beth. Seeing that Josef was intent on his task, Kristin slipped out of the room. He would find her when he needed her.

Josef dipped the cloth into the warm water, wrung it out and started cleaning the dried blood from her face. He focused intently on his task - rinse the cloth, wring the cloth, wash the blood, repeat. While she didn't wake through his ministrations, she did wince in her sleep as he cleaned the gashes on her forehead. Reaching into the first aid kit, he pulled out gauze and tape and bandaged her wounds.

He packed away the first aid kit and moved all the supplies to the table, pulled the comforter over her and sat back in the chair he had pulled over to the bed. Less than 24 hours ago he'd been sitting at the bedside of another unconscious woman. Beth was so much like Sara – beautiful, stubborn women who had fallen in love with vampires. Even after 50 plus years of thought on the subject he was not able to figure out a reason for it. Unlike freshies and other vampire groupies, Sara and Beth loved the man as well as the vampire. They understood how one effected the other – Josef the man would not be the same without Josef the vampire, and vice versa.

Why was he sitting there watching this human sleep? Was it because of that likeness to Sara? It would explain his fascination with Beth – ever since he first met her she'd reminded him of Sara. But how did that explain Mick's interest in her? Yeah he was a little human for a vampire, but he wasn't normally one for chasing after human girls. Was it because of the circumstances surrounding her kidnapping, or something distinctly Beth? Hell, maybe she was just a vamp magnet.

Too many questions and he was drained from the events of the past week. He forced his might blank and just watched her, elbows on chair arms, fingers steepled under his chin. The almost imperceptible rise and fall of her chest under the cover as she breathed, the sound of her heart beating – strong and steady. He stayed like that for a long time – how long he wasn't quite sure – until finally he rose, checked her over and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

He moved reluctantly to the freshie's common room. He was in no mood for their giddiness tonight. As he entered the room he saw a couple of girls watching TV, a few others playing cards at the table, giggling at their girl talk. As they heard him come in they all stopped what they were doing, greeting him exuberantly. Their excitement quickly faded, however, when he ignored their advances, searching the room. He found her in a chair in a corner, reading a book. He recognized it as one of the antique books from his library – she so loved to raid his collection, unlike the rest who only seemed happy with Cosmo or some other such nonsense. She looked up at him over the book. Their eyes met and she nodded, marked her place and followed him out of the room and down the hall.

"Is she…"

"She'll be fine. She just needs to rest, as do I. I'm going to head to the freezer. Keep an eye on her. When she wakes, come find me. No matter what I'm doing. Understand?" She nodded once and was rewarded with his usual smirk.

"Excellent," he declared. "How about a bed time snack?"


	7. Chapter 7

Bit o' bad language

Bit o' bad language.

Chapter 6

Mick made his way through the mansion to Josef's home office. He'd finally been able to leave. Coraline was…somewhere…He had no doubt he would be seeing her again before the day was out. He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. He hoped he thought up a plan soon, because he didn't know how long he could keep this up. It was killing him – but maybe that was OK. Maybe this was his punishment for everything bad he'd done. If that was the case, what right did he have to stop it? Sighing, he opened his eyes and pushed the door to Josef's office open.

"—markets open in two hours. What am I only finding out about this now? You know I—" Mick was surprised when, upon seeing him enter, Josef immediately cut of the conversation. "I have to go. Get back to me ASAP." He snapped the phone shut and stopped his pacing, taking a seat in the ornate wooden chair behind the desk. He watched Mick as he took a seat on the couch, remaining silent. It had been almost 50 years since Josef's stare had made him feel nervous, but now he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, eyes flicking anywhere in the room but on Josef. Finally he broke the silence.

"Did your guys find her car?" Josef waited a few moments before answering, nothing but stern businessman in his tone and expression.

"It was flagged when it was finally towed a few hours ago. It's already safely back in Beth's parking spot."

Mick noticed that for the first time in as long as he could remember, Josef didn't offer him a freshie. Of course, he would have turned the offer down, but Mick sensed there was something significant to the omission. After a few moments, Mick spoke again.

"I found Beth. She got out alright." Josef raised an eyebrow at that, but let it go.

"Interesting that you would ask about her car before 'oh by the way, the love of my life isn't dead, as far as I know.'"

"Wha- Josef, what are you talking about?"

"You need to be careful with her. You've brought her into our community; let her in on our secrets. You think she won't use that info if you piss her off enough?" Mick furrowed his brow.

"Beth wouldn't do that."

"You're sure about that?"

"Of course! She'd never do anything to endanger the Tribe."

"Right. Just like she thought you'd never fuck Coraline." Mick's brow furrowed deeper.

"What were you thinking, man?" Mick stood now, pacing.

"I was thinking that I need to do something so Beth could escape."

"And – I don't know – STAKING the bitch, helping Beth and then going back to finish the job never entered your mind? Instead you fuck her – " sniff "Twice and leave Beth to fend for herself. She passed out before she could get out of the building. Anyone could have finished her off. But no, all you thought about was getting your rocks off." Josef was yelling. He never yelled.

"How do you know about Be--" He closed his eyes as he heard the door open and her tentative steps into the room.

XXX

Beth let out a groan as she woke. She opened her eyes and, realizing she didn't recognize her surroundings, bolted out of the bed. She looked around the room, but it gave no clues as to her location, the only thing different from any other feminine bedroom was the first aid kit on the wall. She did find her shoes, however, so she slipped them on and headed for the door. She figured the it would be locked, but tried the door knob anyway; it turned easily in her head so she stepped out into the hall. It was lined with doors, a stairway at one end and what looked to be a common room at the other. It all reminded her of her college dorm, only a hell of a lot nicer. Several female voices floated to her from that room and she followed the sound.

As she walked through the door to what was very much a dorm common room, a blond looked up from the magazine she was reading and broke out into a huge grin. She dropped her magazine and came bounding over to Beth, causing the others in the room to look up from their tabloids. She was very perky and they were all way too over dressed for a day of lounging with magazines.

"Hi! How was your night? From how long it took you to recover, I'll bet it was REALLY good." Perky waggled her eyebrows and Beth furrowed her.

"Wha—"

"Candi." Perky stopped and looked up. "Your presence is required in the games room." Games room? Perky's eyes lit up even more and she all but ran out the door. Beth turned to the newcomer.

"Ms. Turner, I'm Kristin. I apologize for Candi. She just assumes everyone's a freshie. Of course, Josef doesn't really bring us any other kinds of guests, so she must be forgiven."

"Josef?"

"He brought you here last night to patch you up and let you rest. He was quite worried about you." Beth's hand went to the bandage on her forehead. "He wanted to see you when you woke. Shall I take you to him?" Beth nodded and followed Kristin through the house to the main floor. She pointed to a set of wooden double doors.

"Just go on in. I should check in to make sure everything is proceeding smoothly in the games room." Beth looked towards the door, hesitating a moment before going in.

"--Anyone could have finished her off. But no, all you thought about was getting your rocks off."

"How do you know about Be--"

She watched him rise from his place on the couch and turn to her. Emotions flickered across his face – relief at seeing she was all right, confusion as to why she was here, regret…

"Mick, um…thank you?… for…" What? Rescuing her? Saving her? Making out – probably more – with Coraline? She didn't bother to finish the sentence, turning the Josef instead.

"Can I borrow a phone Josef? To call a cab. I guess I lost mine." Josef waved a hand as he stood and strode to her.

"Nonsense Buzzwire. I'll have my driver take you." He snapped his fingers and someone scurried out of the office. "And worry not, your car and its contents are safely in your parking space." She smiled.

"Thank you Josef, for everything." She kissed his cheek.

"Think nothing of it!" He showed her out to the waiting limo, then returned to face the proverbial music with Mick.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Beth sat curled up on the couch in her living room, the mug of warm tea in her hands all but forgotten. She was trying to understand how her life had gone from practically perfect to well, pretty damn shitty in less than a week. She had just spoken with Josh. For the third time. He was worried and although he never said it, she could hear in his voice that he hoped she had reconsidered breaking things off with him. The last time he called she thanked him for his concern and told him not to call back. Throughout the course of the evening she'd also spoken to Mo a couple of times. She'd wanted Beth to take a few days off, but Beth insisted that she would be in the next day. She put the mug down on the coffee table and was about to lie down when the sound of incessant pounding broke through the fog of her mind. Someone was at the door. She uncurled herself from the couch and opened the door, not able to hid her surprise at who she found on the other side.

"Josef." He leaned against the doorjamb and wore a pair of tight jeans and an equally tight heather grey t-shirt. For a brief moment she lamented the fact that he always hid all that under business suits. He smirked at her.

"There you are, Blondie. I was wondering if I was going to have to break your door down. You gonna invite me in, or do you just want to talk in the hall?" Beth moved aside and invited him in. He moved straight to the living area and made himself at home in an easy chair. She closed the door and followed him into the apartment.

"Can I get you something? I mean, I don't have any blood but—"

"A scotch would be wonderful, my dear, or something else with high alcohol content." She fixed his drink, handed it to him and sat on the couch. They sat in silence for several minutes as he nursed his drink until he finally spoke.

"I came to make sure you were all right, seeing as we didn't get a chance to talk earlier. Where's your human? I thought he'd be here all happy you're safe."

"He's called a few times, but I ended it with him. I didn't think it was fair to either of us to keep stringing him along." She was silent again for a while. Josef finished his drink, placed the glass on the table.

"Mick and Coralline…did more than I saw, didn't they?" He nodded, and she closed her eyes for a minute. Josef thought back to earlier in the day. The look on Mick's face as he sat in Josef's office was testament to his self-hatred. Josef knew Mick had always used coralline as an escape, but Mick always hated himself so much more than usual after their encounters. He was Josef's only real friend, and it angered him that Mick didn't seem to care enough to try and break his ties with her, just be happy. Even thinking she was dead hadn't helped.

"I don't know why that bothers me or surprises me. You warned me about that, and I saw how he acted even when we thought she was just Morgan. We're not together…I just thought, after New York that—" She saw him close his eyes and turn away. Beth didn't know him very well, but she knew something was wrong. He was acting very un-Josef-like.

"Josef, what happened after we left?" When he opened his eyes and looked at her, her suspicions were confirmed. The look of pain and loss and desperation she saw in his eyes made her heart break. She left her place on the couch and knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Nothing. Nothing happened. Sara still lies in that bed, because of what I did to her. I keep wondering if she would have gone through with it if she'd known this was a risk. I told her everything about being a vampire – every single, gory detail of what her life would be like. I tried to scare her away from the idea. From me. But she wouldn't listen. This visit I thought…I thought about letting her go. But in the end I couldn't do it. Now I don't know whether to be hopeful for the future or disgusted with my selfishness." Beth simply reached a hand up to his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into. He couldn't believe he was breaking down twice in one week. And to a human!

"God, Beth, you are so much like her."

Josef had bared his soul to her and she felt the need to say something. Words tumbled from her lips, she didn't know if they were the right ones or not, but they were all she had. "Josef, even from the little I know, I can tell you loved each other very much. You loved each other enough to try a relationship even though she was a human and you a vampire. You loved each other enough to want to spend eternity together; to put aside the fears you both had about turning her. I know what her fears were, because I have the same ones. And you've loved her enough to wait 50 years for her, never knowing what will happen. Just a few days ago, I thought maybe Mick loved me that much. Now…" It was Beth's turn to look away. Josef caught her chin and turned her back to face him.

"Mick's young and stupid." He stood, pulling her up with him. When his lips descended on hers, Beth did not hesitate in returning the kiss. She had no doubt where this was going. Whether it be comfort sex or revenge sex, or a bit of both, they each needed this – to forget about everything, if only for a short while. She needed to forget her fear and jealousy of Coraline; guilt over Josh; numbness, confusion, regret whenever she thought of Mick. She just wanted to wash them away. Be blissfully blank for a short time. Thoughts of Sara still plagued Josef's mind. He just couldn't let go this time. Add to that the anger and concern he was feeling toward Mick, and Josef was not his usual calm, cool self. And he needed to be.

As Josef 's mouth moved against hers, his tongue ran across her lips and she allowed him entrance. Her hands were on his shoulders, but as he moved to kiss down her neck, she moved a hand to his short hair. He licked a line across her throat and kissed up the other side of her neck. Beth started walking them toward the bedroom, pulling his tee from his pants and running her hands underneath, as Josef continued to trail kisses and nips.

So caught up in what they were doing, even Josef didn't hear the soft thud of boots landing on the balcony, or the low growl that followed.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Beth's brief visit to Josef's office seemed to calm the older vampire. As Mick sat back down, Josef made his way back to the lean against the front of the desk. He decided that perhaps Josef had been just as worried about Beth as he. Josef looked at him for a long while, before finally speaking.

"What are you going do to, Mick?" Mick leaned forward and put his head in his hands.

"I don't know, Josef." They stayed like that for several minutes until Mick silently rose from the couch and left the mansion.

XXX

Mick drove. He drove without purpose; without destination. He willed his mind blank, or to come up with a solution. Instead, it just tormented him with questions and thoughts. Coraline was his wife. His sire. His addiction. He hadn't loved her since she killed him, if he ever had, but throughout the years she'd always been his constant. Everyday he craved her, the thought sickening him in the same moment. Not having to hide what he was. No lies. Just release. Pain. Punishment. Afterwards it was more pain. Disgust at himself; hatred of her. More punishment – that's all his life was – punishment. For his sins; for trying to be happy despite those sins. For the fact that he still wanted and craved the violence and took every opportunity – with Coraline or on a case – to let his vampire come out and play. Punishment for things he hadn't even done, but was capable of doing because of the monster he was.

He wanted to kill…Kill her. Kill himself. Put himself of the misery that was his life with Coraline; his life without Coraline. Because that was the rub, wasn't it? Even when he thought he'd killed her, he still couldn't get her out of his head, couldn't move on. He had gone 22 years without having that blissful reprieve even if only for a short while. 22 years denying his addiction. Now that she was back it was worse.

He stopped the car. Could he do it again? Could he kill her – for real this time? He didn't know the answer, and if he did know the answer, how would he go about doing it? Surely she would be expecting it. With a growl he slammed his fists against the steering wheel. He looked up and sighed. He'd managed to, without even thinking about it, drive himself to the site of the first in his most recent string of bad choices – the fountain where he'd watched his current…love?…obsession?…walk through barefoot at two in the morning.

With Coraline supposedly out of the picture, his string of bad choices – that had started when he'd looked at her across that party room oh so many years ago – continued. He shifted his attention to the stalking of little girls – well, one little girl. He told himself it was to keep her safe; she had been taken and traumatized because of him and therefore she was now his responsibility. But as years went by without him having to intervene in her life again, he knew it was more than just a need to protect her, he was obsessed with her, or at least obsessed with his need to protect her. When he saw her first Buzzwire report something in him had snapped and he made the choice to drive to this spot. As he watched her walk through the cold water, he wondered when his feelings for her had changed – he rested easy in the knowledge that he hadn't always felt this way about her.

And then he saw her take notice of him and walk toward him and he make the second bad choice of the night – not leaving. Bad choice after bad choice after bad choice followed – letting himself forget what he was, letting her in, including her in cases, not trying hard enough to ignore her. It all culminated in her being taken – again. How many more times would she have to be put in danger – whether it be from Coraline, or himself, or someone else.

It all came down to choice. The choice he should have made before Beth had even been taken would have stopped all of this from happening. If he could go back in time he would choose differently. He would make sure that Coraline would have no reason to doubt his action, feelings – even if he didn't feel them. He would make sure she had no reason to search out a child and a happy family. Beth would never have been taken. Perhaps her career choice would have been more tame and not filled with danger. He never would have met her. Failing that, the next choice that he knew would have made a difference was Victorville. He should have dragged himself out of that hotel room and back into the desert sun while Leni called Beth. He would have died and Beth would have been free of him before he was able to ensconce himself in her life any further.

But he couldn't do that, of course. He was stuck with his current choice. The love of his long life, his soul mate? Or the cause of his self-loathing and hatred? Was he strong enough to go against what every fibre of his being wanted, in order to keep her safe?

A thought entered his mind – it doesn't matter what you want. If you love her, it doesn't even matter what she wants. It only matters what you both deserve. He nodded once to himself. He felt as if he'd torn into his own chest and ripped out his heart and squeezed the life out of it with his hand. He took quick, unneeded breaths, and his whole body quivered as the weight of his choice slammed down onto him.

XXX

Mick had driven to Beth's apartment. Why, he didn't know. To watch her one last time before giving her up? To convince her to go back to Josh? When he landed softly on the balcony though, all thoughts of why he had come here vanished, narrowing only on the scene being played out in front of him. Beth was leading a man into her room as they tore at each other's clothes. At first he thought perhaps his work was already done – that the tall frame and short hair belonged to Josh. But that thought lasted only a split second before the old, familiar scent of his friend wafted to him through an open window, and he let out a low growl. He wanted to tear into the room and rip Josef's head from his shoulders with his bare hands. He wanted to take Beth and make her his own. He wanted to turn away and not watch. But like a bad car wreck that you don't want to watch, and know you shouldn't, he couldn't look away.

Beth pulled the t-shirt over Josef's head and he growled at having to remove his lips from hers. When the offending article had been tossed aside, she ran her hands up his chest and down his arms, then pulled him to her with a hand at the back of his head. She claimed his mouth roughly for a brief moment before moving to his neck. She licked and kissed and then bit down lightly. He growled and pushed her away. She looked confused until she saw him reach for his belt.

Mick saw her brief smile and smelled her arousal grow as she anticipated what would happen next and they worked on getting rid of the rest of their clothes. In that moment he knew for certain he would not be able to look away. He would memorize her body, her scent, her moans, her gasps, what pleasured her, the look on her face as she comes. He braced his arm against the frame of the French door and rested his head against his arm, never taking his eyes off Beth.

They raked their eyes over each other as Josef stalked towards her. With a hand on her shoulder, he pushed her onto the bed. Beth arranged herself in the centre and Josef climbed up and half covered her body with his. She reached up as if to touch his cheek, but before she could, he was already on the move, exploring her body with his lips and hands. As his mouth worked her breast, one hand trailed down the side of her body, feather-light. Mick saw her shiver at the touch. The hand trailed down further and as he switched to give her other breast the same treatment as the first, he plunged two fingers into her.

Beth gasped and arched her body, pressing herself even more into Josef's mouth and hand. That gasp seemed to increase all of Mick's senses – heightening his vampire senses even more than normal. The smell of salt in the air from tears shed earlier in the evening and the heady scent of their arousal so strong in the air that he could practically taste it, making his mouth water with his desire to go in there and find out for himself what she tasted like. Watching her glistening, flushed body writhe under Josef's expert ministrations was almost too much for him. Mick clenched his fist against the cool window of the French door tight, nails digging into the palm of his hand.

And the sounds – the sounds echoed through his head, as if all other sound on the planet stopped except those coming from inside the room. Her heavy breaths matching the pace of Josef's fingers as he wasted no time in adding a third, her heart pounding so quickly in her chest, the sound of her skin and her nails against the cotton sheets as she clutched at them and moved to meet his hand with perfect timing, the sound of Josef's mouth exploring every inch of Beth's perfect body, of his fingers moving in and out of her wet core, the moans and gasps as Josef found the sweet spots inside her, or a sensitive part of her body with his mouth.

And Josef really did explore all of Beth's body with his mouth and his free hand, even as his fingers continued to pump in and out of her. Wet, open mouthed kisses across her stomach, tongue dipping into her belly button. Moving back up to kiss down one arm to her elbow then moving over the other, trailing his tongue down to her wrist, where he spent a great deal of time kissing and nibbling, drawing a moan from Beth that shot straight through Mick's body, and Josef's too, he could tell. A kiss to the palm of her hand and then he was wrapping his tongue around each finger, sucking the digit into his mouth before moving on to the next. Finally satisfied with that, he moved on. Kissing along her inner thighs as his other hand caressed her calves and even along her feet. Although Mick's brain was so focused on watching his best friend pleasure the love of his life, he did not fail to notice that the only area of Beth's body that Josef neglected was the wrist that bore his own mark.

By the time Josef had worked his way up her thigh, Beth was ready to come. Mick could feel the heat radiating off her; could practically feel her body hum as it silently begged Josef. But he ignored the plea, stilling all his movements until she had calmed and her eyes slipped closed, then his mouth joined his hand for a dual assault on her centre. Her hands gripped the sheets tighter and she arched into him, but again he stopped, denying her release. He repeated this until she finally let out something between a groan and a sob. His fingers and mouth left her and he moved back up her body and her hands flew to his biceps. Josef licked away a tear of frustration as he slowly, finally entered her. A couple of thrusts were all it took to get Beth back to the edge, but this time he let her fall over it. A few more thrusts that she met eagerly and she did, biting down on her lip to keep from crying out.

The smell of even that small amount of blood assaulted both vampires. Mick saw Josef change – his arousal and Beth's blood too much for him. Mick's eyes flashed and he bared his fangs in anger and jealousy as his love; his soul mate; his life turned her head and bared her throat to the vampire above her. As Josef moved in to kiss her throat, Mick spun and leapt from the balcony and then into his car to drive in the direction of a house made of glass.

Had he stayed, he would have seen Josef reach up to grasp one of her hands, lacing his fingers with hers as he removed it from his arm. He would have heard Beth, eyes still closed, whimper in disappointment as he shook his head; his mouth leaving her neck without tasting her blood. He would have seen Josef bite into his own arm before spilling himself in her.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Beth sat at her desk, staring at the computer screen. Again. It was getting to be a habit; and people didn't bother her about it because they thought she was still traumatized from her latest stay with Coraline. It had been a week. Not a week since she'd been taken, but a week since she'd woken up in Josef's house, and walked into his office to find Mick practically ignoring her. She hadn't heard from him all week, hadn't seen Coraline. Strangely enough, it was Josef who had called several times to check up on her. She thought that would have been awkward. Perhaps it was Josef's 400 years of dealing with women, but he'd been all snark and made her feel completely at ease. Well, he was almost all snark. There'd been a hint of…something…behind it that hadn't been there before New York – or that he'd been able to hide better. She didn't have much time to contemplate that, however, as Steve was all geared up and ready to go, tentatively calling her name. She nodded to him and grabbed her bag, following him out to the van.

They drove in silence to their location. A prominent city councillor had disappeared on his morning jog. Beth was going to collect some shots and hopefully some intel from the location where he was last seen. Steve parked the van and made himself busy with the video equipment as Beth made her way to the trail. She rounded a corner and stopped in her tracks. A familiar form was crouched on the trail, his back to her.

"Mick!" He hung his head for a moment before standing and turning to face her.

"Hello, Beth." She took a step toward. He took a step back. "What are you doing here?"

"The same thing as you, apparently. I'm covering the Councillor's disappearance. You should know by now that fate keeps throwing us together." He scoffed.

"It's not fate, Beth. It's just coincidence. We deal with the same types of cases. Obviously we're going to meet up from time to time." There was something in the way he said that that made Beth stop and really look at him. Not that she wasn't already, of course. But now she saw the exhaustion, the sadness, the doubt written all over his face. Just a week and a half ago on that New York sidewalk, he'd seemed so carefree, happy. Then she'd left him there and everything just seemed to be getting worse and worse. They were both silent for a while before Beth finally spoke up.

"I've hardly seen you since New York…" Yeah he may have had sex with Coraline, but she knew they had a history and it wasn't like Beth could just turn her feelings off. The fact that he didn't seem very happy about his current arrangement meant perhaps all was not yet lost.

"I do have things to do other than follow you around, you know." She flinched at that. "Look Beth, we've both made our choices." His eyes flicked to her neck. Her hair was swept up and it was free of any marks. "Although I guess you didn't choose well. You're obviously not Josef's type." Her hand flew to her neck and his eyes swept slowly over her body, as if he had x-ray vision and was trying to search her body under her clothes. "Unless he chose somewhere else to bite you."

"How did you – Nevermind, I don't want to know. We were two people who 'chose' to find some way to forget our problems, even if for just a little while. It didn't mean anything beyond that. And he didn't bite me."

"But you asked him to." Ah, jealous. She could work with that.

"Maybe I did." She again moved toward him and this time he didn't move away. She was just out of his reach, although he made no move toward her. He stayed stock-still. "But I wasn't asking him. Josef has quite a few years of experience." She moved closer still and he could feel her breath on his neck. His eyes slipped shut. "By that time, he had me so wound up, I didn't even remember my own name. But I knew yours, Mick." She put her hands on his arms and whispered in his ear. "From the moment I tasted my own blood all I thought of was you. It was your hands, your mouth on my body, driving me insane. Even though my eyes were closed I could FEEL when the vampire took over. I don't know if it was my imagination or if it had something to do with my feeding you in the desert, but I felt that change in my blood. Like it was singing for you, begging for you to bite me. To make me yours again. Tell me that's what you want. A week ago I thought it was."

Mick opened his eyes and clenched his jaw. She'd gotten them both worked up with that, but he refused to let her know what she was doing to him. Instead he stepped away from her.

"You don't know as much about vampires as you think you do. Coraline's my sire. You can't possibly know what that means. This is what I want." Coraline took that moment to emerge from the tree line, and smiled sweetly at Beth.

"Hello, Beth." Then she turned to Mick. "I got the pictures you wanted. Are we finished here?" She wrapped her arms around him and she started to nuzzle his neck. Her presence did not seem to lighten Mick's mood. Beth could see lust and desire, but not the joy and excitement she had seen in New York, or when she'd kissed him in the Buzzwire parking lot. As she watched him nod and lead Coraline down the path, those thoughts gave her hope that they might be able to get through this.


	11. Chapter 11

Wow, look

Warning: I have not proofed this…

Wow, look! An update, so soon! Amazing what 7 hours on a bus will do… Actually I was hoping to get more done but between the bumpy roads and my body being conditioned to fall asleep on busses…. This isn't great, but oh well. I just want to get this fic finished. ;)

Okay, good news and bad news.

Bad News: This is another MickCora chapter (but no nookie…well, it's implied). I wanted to show a bit of them together. It turned out being much shorter than planned. I'm just no good at the talking bit I guess. Just thinking and doing and anymore thinking and people are going to be seriously repeating themselves! lol

Good News: Chapter 11 will see the end of MickCora.

Oh and Susie inspired part of this update.

SSS – Sorry so Short. Probably should have just tacked it onto the end of the last chapter, but oh well…

Chapter 10

Mick stood in front of the counter in Coraline's kitchen, wearing just the pair of jeans he'd thrown on when he got out of his freezer. One hand on the counter, the other holding his half eaten breakfast; forgotten as he lost himself in thought.

Several days had passed since 'fate' had brought he and Beth together again. Fate was a bitch and he was pretty sure she was out to get him. He had successfully stayed away from Beth for almost a week. And then fate brought her to him, dangled her in front of him. Teasing him with what he shouldn't have. And then Beth had to help. Her little show bringing images of what being with her could be like, at the same time fueling his unwarranted jealousy.

He hadn't seen Josef since…well, then night he'd seem more than he really wanted to. His friend had called several times since then, though. The conversations were always the same: the normal pleasantries followed quickly by Josef hounding him about his current situation. They usually sounded something like – 'Have you come to your senses, yet?' That was followed by a few minutes of how much of an idiot he was and ended with 'I just wish you'd grow a fucking pair, man, and leave the bitch for good.' More pleasantries. End call. He always silently fumed after those conversations. Could Josef not understand how much this was killing him? The easy way would be to give in and run to Beth. But he couldn't do that. To keep her safe, and let her lead a normal life this was what needed to be done.

Mick sensed her approach long before he felt her mold herself against his back and wrap her arms around him, running her hands across his bare chest. He swirled the blood around in the glass a few times before finally tossing it back, suddenly wishing he'd added something much stronger. After returning the glass to the counter – a little harder than required, he finally turned around to face her. Coraline smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss.

"Evening, Mick." He returned her kiss with one of his own and extricated himself from her embrace. He moved to her fridge and silently pulled out a bag of her favorite and poured her glass, handing it to her on his way to the couch in the living room. Coraline followed a moment later, flicking on the fireplace in the corner of the room on her way. She took a seat next to him, leaning against him, one arm wrapped around his. They sat in silence as she slowly drank her blood, watching him as he stared into the dancing flames.

"We should go visit Josef, today," she said after she finished her breakfast and set her glass on the small table by the couch. "I haven't seen him in so long…well except for when you brought my camera back. But for obvious reasons we weren't able to really get caught up."

"That's probably not a good idiea." She seemed to think about that for a minute before letting out an 'oh' of understanding.

"You've been talking to him though, right?" She sounded genuinely concerned that his friendship with Josef was okay.

"I've…heard from him."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. But enough about Josef." Suddenly she was straddling his lap and her lips were on his. He didn't hesitate in giving back as good as he got. Until she pulled away slightly, smiling as she took his bottom lip between her teeth and tugged slightly. He sucked it between his own teeth for a moment after she released him – she loved it when he did that.

"Coraline, I have to get some work done." She pouted. "Important councilor missing…ring a bell?"

"I anticipate the councilor will be just as missing in half an hour." She kissed his neck, nipping it has he shifted to give her better access. "Don't you think?" He made no move to push her away or pull her closer for several moments.

"Probably," he said with a growl as he expertly flipped her over on the couch and attacked her mouth.


	12. Chapter 12

My muse came back

My muse came back! Yay! Don't know where it went for the last two updates…

I hope while you read this you come out with a slightly different perspective, but if not, just remember that by the end of the update, MickCora will be no more!  I was going to break this into two updates, but I promised Chapter 11 would be THE update so enjoy the longish chapter!

Chapter 11

Coralline sat in one of the large easy chairs watching Mick as he worked. He was sitting on the large couch across the room; papers and files covered the piece of furniture on either side of him, as well as the coffee table. It had been almost a month to the day that she had 'won him back'. But now she didn't feel much like a winner. She felt instead like a thief – robbing him, and Beth, of the one thing Coraline herself so craved – to be loved.

When she saw Mick at that party all those years ago, he sparked something in her that she had long forgotten about, if she had ever known it – some spark of humanity that she thought lost over 250 years prior. Mick worshipped her, made her feel so much better then she really was. Made her feel almost human. But 250 years of being a vampire – and a vampire in her family – messed with you. She wanted Mick with her for eternity. To be able to feel the way he made her feel until the world itself finally died and all that was left was the two of them. It never occurred to her that Mick wouldn't want the same thing; that he would see her gift, her commitment to him, as a curse. That should have been her first clue that his feelings for her weren't as deep as her own. Even if the thought of being a 'monster' repelled him, she had hoped that his love for her would have been enough to break through that and let him see that together they could get through her mistake – her betrayal. Move on and get on with the rest of eternity together. Their marriage lasted four years. Four years during which she taught him everything he needed to know about being a vampire and she introduced him to Josef. Then he left her alone.

Coraline had no come to realize that even as a human Mick had never been in love with her – simply fascinated, infatuated, in lust. With her then becoming his sire, those feelings were still there, but magnified with their new bond, augmented with the predator's instincts. Those were the things that drove them back together time and again. She welcomed him back eagerly each time, he more reluctantly, and each time she hoped she would never again be without him – that this time he would stay and they would have their eternity. Because when she was with him she was complete. She wasn't he monster he claimed their kind were – how could she be if someone like Mick could lover her? She tried everything in her power to convince him – or make him – stay with her, but it never worked. Every time he left, her world crumbled and she waited, hoping he would return to her for good.

Finally, she decided to give him what he obviously wanted – a normal life. She could give that to him – a child and the woman that she was still convinced he loved through all his self-hatred. She hoped that being a father would show him what a good man he still was. What she saw in him. That he could finally accept himself – what he was, what she was – and be able to find his way back to her. And perhaps it had worked, at least part of it.

After the fire, she had gone back to Europe to recover and track down her one remaining hope to reclaim her love – the one thing she had taken from him. She found the cure, found a plan and found Mick, right where she'd lost him 22 years before. In Los Angeles. With Beth. And she found something else. Something she would later realize she had never had. She found his love. There plain as day on his face, for the entire world to see. She was overjoyed that he finally seemed carefree and happy. 22 years of separation had made him into the man she had always known he could be, and finally he could love her.

The final part of her plan to win 'back' Mick's love was much like the one before it. A simple choice – choose Beth and stay a vampire; or Coraline and the cure. When a week passed and Mick hadn't even mentioned the cure, she was overjoyed – he hadn't made his decision because of the cure, he made it because he really did love her! It wasn't until a few days ago that doubt started to chip away at that.

That was when she had overheard Mick on the phone with Josef. He hadn't chosen the cure or Coraline. He'd still chosen Beth. He'd said to Josef that he feared she would continue to harass Beth if he'd done anything different. Suddenly everything started to make sense. That look she had seen on his face when she returned had been suspiciously absent since they'd been back together. She realized now that she'd only seen glimpses of it, behind a carefully constructed mask, on those few occasions they had run into Beth. Now, as she sat in that chair, the full realization finally broke through to her. Beth was the one Mick loved. The one – the only one – who could make him happy with himself and with his life. Coraline had been blinded her own love for him to see. Suddenly, she felt his thumb on her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn't even realized she'd shed. When was the last time she had really cried? She could remember.

"Mick – " her voice was thick with emotion.

"Coraline, what's wrong?" She looked up into his eyes as he pulled his hand away and found them clouded with concern. She answered by pulling him in for a slow, kiss. He didn't respond at first – obviously still confused by her very un-Coraline like behaviour. When she deepened the kiss, however, he finally took action, pulling her out of the chair and walking her quickly but carefully to the wall. Any other day and she would have laughed at the thought of how much furniture they'd had to replace over the course of the month. But right now, she was lost in the feel of his lips on hers, the way he could make her feel with just a look and she closed her eyes. When he took her arms in an iron grip and attacked her mouth, something deep within her made her utter 'no'. She opened her eyes and he was staring at her, looking about as surprised as she felt. But in that instant she knew it was right. She knew what she wanted. She just hoped he would give it to her. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Mick, I know you don't love me." He stiffened in her arms, as if caught in a lie and worried about the consequences. "But…just this once, could you pretend? Close your eyes and pretend you're with her. Show me what it would be like to be loved by you." He stood back from her enough to look into her glistening eyes. Searching for the lies, the con. But for the first time in her life, she was being completely honest. No lies, or false airs – an open book. Letting him read everything that she was – her love for him, fear, resignation.

"Please Mick."

"Coraline, I – " She looked away. Of course Mick wouldn't do what she'd asked. It wasn't in him to do that – to bring Beth into this 'relationship'. And why would he want to, anyway? She started to pull away, then felt his hand on her cheek, turning her back to him.

She saw in his eyes understanding, sadness, guilt and she started to shake her head – to say 'no, please don't feel guilt over this, too' but before she could do either, his lips found hers in a slow, sensuous kiss. He scooped her up into his arms and walked her slowly to the seldom-used bedroom; not breaking the lazy kiss until he had planted her feet firmly back on the floor by the bed. He slowly stripped her of her clothes and laid her on the bed, then quickly got rid of his own clothes before lying at her side.

Even with her vamp senses, Coraline's whole world narrowed to focus solely on Mick's roaming hands and the feel of his lips on her skin as he worshipped her body. She bit her lip to keep from crying out at the pleasure he gave her, lest she break the spell and ruin the fantasy that allowed him to treat her like this – like the most previous thing in the world. As he entered her, he kissed her throat and then she felt his breath against her ear as he breathed her name. Her OWN name!

"Coraline…Coraline, don't hold back." That released the floodgates within her and she was chanting his name and tightening around him. He moved slowly within her and his mouth was busy as he kissed her and whispered her name. When both finally found their release Mick settled by her side, gathering her into his arms. As she drifted to sleep, Coraline felt more peaceful than she ever had. He had done so much more than she had requested of him. He'd shown her not how it felt to be loved by him but, if even for a short while, how if felt to have Mick St. John love HER.

XXX

She felt him standing in the doorway, watching her as she looked out into the nighttime landscape. Neither said a word as he moved further into the room, finally coming to stand behind her.

"Coraline, what's going on?" She turned to face him.

"Mick, thank you for that. You can't know what it means that you did that for me. And I'm sorry…for everything."

"Sorry? Don't be sorry. I'm not. Not anymore." She looked at him quizzically. "I may not be entirely comfortable yet with being a vampire, but if you hadn't turned me, I never would have found Beth. And you were instrumental in that, as well, even if the method wasn't the best. So for all that, I thank you. That's what that was. Me giving you something you wanted, needed; just as you did for me."

"Well I will claim responsibility for the turning, but even if I hadn't taken her all those years ago, you would have found your way to each other. You were meant to be together. I see that now. I love you, even if you don't believe it, and I want you to be happy. She makes you happy." He looked mightily confused, and happy, and very wary. He started to say something, but she silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I promise I'm not scheming or lying or anything. I just finally see the truth. It just took me this long to figure it out." She kissed his check and slowly left the room.

XXX

Three days later Coraline was back in the same spot. She'd left Mick standing there and headed to her freezer. When she'd risen the next night, there was no trace of him to be found in the house, save his scent. In the month he'd been there, it had once again found its way into every inch of the place. It surrounded her like a blanket. She wanted to run after him, but she'd promised; and she would keep this one.

Then a new scent floated to her. Old and familiar. She turned to see who it was, but the new arrival stayed hidden in the shadows. In the few seconds it took for recognition to set in he was suddenly in front of her, something glinting in his gloved hand.

"Josef!"

"Hello, Coraline." Before she could even blink, she felt the most excruciating pain in her chest. She collapsed as the silver stake sent shots of white-hot agony through her body. She couldn't remember ever feeling anything like it. Through the haze of pain, his voice finally reached her.

"Look alive, Coraline." He snapped his fingers a couple of times in front of her face. "I've got something to say that I think you'll want to hear." He waited until she was able to focus her eyes on him through the pain.

"Mick tells me you've come to your senses." He paced in front of her now as he spoke. "Although he didn't use those words of course. Something about love and happiness…whatever. Really, it made me want to gag. But – " he stopped and crouched down in front her, grabbing the stake to torture her with it – slowly pushing it in further, or moving it around in the wound. She let out a whimper.

"You better have meant whatever you said to him. In fact, I think you need to leave town. If I see you anywhere near this part of the world; if you try and contact Mick or Beth; if anyone even looks at them funny and I think you're behind it…this – " one last push on the silver stake and he was standing up again. "will seem like a walk in the park. Do I make myself clear?" She nodded weakly.

"Excellent! It was a pleasure seeing you again, Coraline. Let's not do it again." Josef kicked the previously unnoticed bag by his feet over to where she lay, still staked, and several bags of blood spilled out on the floor. Then he spun on his heel and stalked out of the house.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, I know this has been a LONG while in coming (for me anyway)

Okay, I know this has been a LONG while in coming (for me anyway). And I'm really sorry. For a while my muses were absent, and when they stopped by for a visit I didn't have time to write. Now I just REALLY haven't been in a MickBeth mood. But I want this fic over with, so I hope I don't slaughter it!

Chapter 12

Finally, Mick stood on the steps of her apartment building. It had taken him a couple of days to convince himself he should see her. He'd be on the way out the door, and then talk himself out of it. Through it all though, going back to Coraline never once entered his mind. After fifty plus years of obsession, she was finally out of his head. It was like a huge weight, which grew with every passing year, was suddenly lifted from him. The haze that was Coraline cleared from his vision and he could finally, fully see something new. Despite that, still he wavered. In the end it was Josef who finally convinced him to go see her.

Who would have thought that Josef would play matchmaker? With a human, no less! Shaking his head, still disbelieving, Mick entered the building and slowly headed to her apartment. He'd decided to use the front door this time, to spare himself any…surprises, like the last. Finally reaching number five, he raised his hand to knock.

But he stopped himself as voices drift to him through the door. And a scent is in the air. There is Beth's, of course, but another. Male. One he remembers well. He lowers his hand and closes his eyes for a moment. She did it. Surprised, but happy – for her anyway – he slowly turns around and heads back to his car.

XXX

Her eyes were watering, the lines of the page she was reading were starting to multiply exponentially, and she was pretty sure she was about to get hit with a migraine. Realizing that doing any more work now was hopeless, Beth tossed the file she was reading onto the coffee table with an exasperated sigh and looked to her companion.

"We're getting nowhere fast with this."

"The answer's got to be in here somewhere," he said, not looking up from his own pile of papers.

"That may be, Josh, but we're not going to find it today. At least I'm not. We've been at this for five hours and I can't do it anymore." Sighing, he finally looking up and sat back in the chair across from her.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I really appreciate you helping me out with this case. A fresh set of eyes is usually helpful." Beth got up from the couch and started wandering the room, trying ward off the migraine. She settled at the window, peering out into the approaching night. The rising moon reflected off something on the street and she looked harder.

"I wonder if we brought someone else in on this if – "

"Mick!"

"Well, yes, I could go to him, although I'm not sure that – "

"No!" She turned to him, the tiredness in her eyes replaced by fire. "Mick was just here!" She'd watched, stunned for a moment, as he quickly made his way from the front steps of her building to his car.

"Well, why didn't he come in?"

"He must have heard us talking, or seen your car." She knew it was most likely that he'd caught Josh's scent. She looked from Josh to the window and back again as the Benz drove off.

"Oh. Sorry." Josh knew that although Beth had broken up with him, Mick was curiously absent from her life. That absence had been wearing on her over the past month. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"But…"

"Don't worry, I'll tidy up these files and let myself right out, I promise. Get." He winked at her.

"Okay," she said, after a heartbeat or two and ran to grab her keys and purse before practically running out the door.

XXX

Mick closed the door to his apartment behind him and stood there for a moment before making his way to his hidden fridge and pouring himself a glass of blood. Leaning against the counter with a sigh, he sipped the red liquid. Josef was right; he'd waited too long. But this was for the best. She was back with Josh. He was a good man. A HUMAN man. She would have the normal, long, full life he'd always wanted for her.

He thought back to his conversation with Josef and his friend's observations. Mick had been adamant about his thoughts on Beth, saying same thing to Josef – this is what she deserved. Josef had looked at him incredulously.

"She deserves to be miserable?"

"What? No! She deserves to be happy. Josh can give her that."

"No he can't and you know it. You know that needs more than the perfect human life. She's a part of our world, my friend. She has been since Coraline took her. She's been part of YOUR world. The only thing that is holding you back from her is YOU. If you didn't love her, or even if you were just afraid of getting hurt, I could understand what you're doing. But you're just doing this because you think you don't DESERVE to be happy. You're doing this to punish yourself. That's fine, that's good. Everyone needs a hobby, but in the process you're punishing her." He glared at Mick for a moment. "And I thought you loved her…"

As he thought back to that conversation, those last few statements looped in his mind. That was finally what got through Mick's head now. Sure there had been a lot of other stuff he'd dealt with through that month – obsession, addiction, Beth's safety, letting go of the love that could have been his future and then giving up the love that had been his past. Through all those issues that he had been working out inside himself, that had been the underlying problem to it all – he did not deserve to be happy. Happiness reminded him of being human. Happiness was something that monsters didn't get. But somewhere along the way, he realized that Beth wasn't his happiness. She was his life. His reason for being. It wasn't a matter of deciding between Beth and not Beth. It was a decision between Beth and not living. And when he realized that, he wondered if Beth felt the same. He thought back, trying to remember her unique scent, the sound of her beating heart, the music of her voice when they were alone. He tried to recall if they were laced with the same love and devotion for him that he felt for her. He feared his own hopes tainted the memories.

He'd probably ruined it all with Coraline; waited too long and now she was gone. His world crashed down on him as he made that realization. He set the glass down on the counter, harder than he meant to and it shattered. The sound almost blocking out another, unexpected one. Staring at the glass and blood on the counter, and watching the red trail onto the floor, he heard the sound again.

Someone was at the door.

XXX

The entire way to his apartment building, the only thing that went through her mind was 'he came back…he came back…' After parking the car and barely remembering to turn it off and lock it, she practically flew into the building and into the elevator. She waited in agony for the eternity that was the ride up to his floor, but managed to reign in her excitement in case he happened to be watching the security monitor. Couldn't look like she was as desperate to see him as she felt!

She knocked on the door. No answer, but thought she heard something from inside. Knocked again. Still no answer. She knocked again, her knuckles not leaving the door this time, and rested her forehead against the cool metal, much like she had after the time in the desert.

"Mick," she whispered. "Please, let me in." Into your apartment… into your heart… into your life… After what seemed like another eternity, but was really only a moment, the door slowly opened and she looked up into his hazel eyes, shining with sadness, hope and curiosity. Silently, he moved aside to allow her to enter and then closed the door before turning back to her.


	14. Chapter 14

Title:

Chapter 13

"Beth…" She couldn't understand why he looked so surprised to see her. "Why are you here?" She furrows her brow at that.

"Um, well, I can leave if you – "

"No! I just…" He sighs and motions to the living area. She sits on the couch and he follows her, sitting on the opposite end, facing her. He scratches the back of his neck, and can't meet her eyes. "I just…I thought that –"

"You thought I was back with Josh."

"Yeah." Beth moves to his side and puts a hand on his arm.

"I'm NOT back with Josh. But what happened with…I'm mean…why did you come by? What happened? In New York I thought…well I thought maybe there was something. I came home to break up with Josh and the next thing I know, you're back with Coraline. Well, I just thought you were over that, that maybe we were going to try this out." She stood and started pacing the room, not able to meet his eyes. Throughout the month, she'd been so sure that she knew how he felt, but at this moment, she wondered if it had all just been wishful thinking. "But I should have known, I saw how you looked at her in that hotel room. And I know you were disappointed when you thought Morgan wasn't Coraline. I'm sorry for—" In her pacing, Beth unknowingly passed near Mick's chair and he quickly shot his hand out to take hers, stilling her movements. He stood and turned her to him.

"Beth, stop! It's not like that at all! I love you." He dropped her hand like it was on fire and they both stared wide-eyed at each other in shock over his spontaneous admission. Beth didn't say anything for several moments and Mick dare not speak. It was out there, now he just waited patiently for her reaction. Slowly, it started to come. She would open her mouth to say something, then think better of it and close it, then do it again. Finally, words found her.

"But, what about—" Mick smiled at her, and tucked a tendril of her hair behind her ear then trailed a finger slowly down her cheek and her arm. She closed her eyes and shivered at his touch. He took her hand and led her back to the couch, sitting down and pulling her down next to him.

Mick put his head in his hands for a moment, then ran a hand through his hair and looked up to the ceiling. He sighed and let out a nervous laugh. "God, Beth, I screwed up. When I realized that coralline had you, I just couldn't stop thinking that you were put in danger AGAIN before of me. Because she wanted me. Because she couldn't stand to see me happy with anyone but her. I knew that as long as I kept pushing her away you would never be safe. That's how it started."

"So, what happened?"

"She realized I could never be happy with her. She loved me enough to let me go." He looked deep into her eyes. "I tried to convince myself to let you be, that I didn't deserve you after all I did. But I couldn't do it. I had to see you. I—" She put a hand to his cheek and smiled.

"I love you. I've been waiting for you, hoping you would leave her all this time." He searched her face for a long moment, finally seeing the truth of her words in her eyes. He closed his for a brief moment, then opened them, locked his eyes with her and then claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. He laid her back on the couch and they started pulling at each other's clothes.

Later, she settled against him, laying her head on his bare chest and drifted off to sleep. He stroked her silky hair, listening to her heartbeat and her breathing even out, amazed that he finally had her in his arms like this. For the first time since becoming a vampire, possibly ever, that he felt complete at peace with his life and himself. He smiled, happy they'd both finally made the choice they'd both wanted for so long.


End file.
